Apparatus for effecting finishing operations on self-supporting coils



Nov. 9, 1965 s. CAMARDELLA APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING FINISHING OPERATIONS ON SELF-SUPPORTING COILS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 5, 1962 w e r m G H n A Ma m Gm WUMJ,

United States Patent 3,216,461 APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING FINISHING OPER- ATIONS 0N SELF-SUPPORTING COILS Giuseppe Camardella, Via Bodoni 17, Milan, Italy Filed Nov. 5, 1962, Ser. No. 235,236 Claims priority, application Italy, Dec. 18, 1961, 22,643/61, Patent 18,849 8 Claims. (Cl. 1401) Winding machines are known for the automatic production of coils of metal wire which are self-supporting and comprise a small number of turns. The coils are formed by these machines by generally winding the Wire on a mandrel, leaving two straight variously directed ends of wire at the beginning and ends of the coil, these ends serving for making connection to the electrical circuit in which the coil is to be included. Some of these machines are also capable of imparting particular conformation to the said ends, thus enabling coils which have been formed by bare wire treated galvanically to be readily connected by means of tin solder.

If on the other hand the wire is covered with insulation in the form of thread or fabric or enamel, it is necessary, before connecting the coil to its circuit, to bare and tin the ends, which has to be effected by long and costly manual operations. Also, it is often necessary to perform these operations after a series of ending operations on the coil. These ending operations may orientate the ends of the coil in such a manner as to make it even more difiicult and costly to perform the subsequent baring and tinning operations.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus adapted to receive a coil with straight ends from an automatic winding machine, preferably of the type having a vertical mandrel and to execute on it automatically, in successive stages, a series of finishing operations, including the baring and tinning of the ends, the insulation of the turns from one another by means of solvents, adhesives and heating, and the bending of the ends.

In general the apparatus of this invention comprises a turntable that is provided on its periphery, at regular intervals with means for the reception and support of a plurality of coils. The turntable is adapted to be rotated a distance corresponding to the angular interval between said receiving and supporting means, so as to transfer each coil to different work stations where various operations are performed on said coil. The receiving and supporting means are mounted on the turntable so as to be capable of turning in radial planes between a position corresponding to a vertical position of the axis of the coil and a position corresponding to a horizontal position of the said axis, said coil being so positioned according to the particular operation that is to be performed. This apparatus is adapted to be used in connection with a vertical mandrel automatic Winding machine which is known in the art and does not form a part of the present invention. In general, the winding machine receives the wire and Winds it over a vertical mandrel forming a coil with straight ends extending therefrom. At the end of the winding the finished coil is released and falls by gravity in a vertical direction. The apparatus of this invention is mounted underneath the vertical mandrel of the winding machine and its turntable is adapted to rotate intermittently in synchronism with said winding machine. Thus the coils will drop from the vertical mandrel of the winding machine onto the receiving and supporting means of the present invention where several operations will then be performed thereon.

The invention will now be described in detail by way of example with reference to the accompaying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a View in elevation of an embodiment of the invention with some parts shown in section;

FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a view in elevation, partly in section, of a detail of the left-hand part of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a modification of the detail shown in FIG. 3.

As shown in the drawings, the apparatus comprises a base 1 (FIGS. 1 and 2) which supports a fixed pillar 2 around which can rotate a turntable constituted by a disc 3 with six radial recesses 3 in its periphery. In said recesses are located the same number of blocks 4 which support interchangeable spindles 5 adapted to receive coils delivered by a winding machine. Each block 4 is mounted so that it can turn freely on a pin 6 extending across the corresponding recess 3', and can rotate on the pin through passing from a vertical position to a horizontal position and vice-versa, but being continuously urged to the vertical position by spring means 6'. It is to be understood that any known type and arrangement of spring means may be utilized. For example, they may be placed within block 4. Against the biasing action of the said spring means the fixed cam 7 acts so as to shift the blocks 4 and thus the spindles 5 into the horizontal position. The cam 7 comprises two cusps 7', 7" corresponding to two operating stations spaced from one another. The said cusps act on the blocks 4 through the intermediary of contact rollers 8 mounted freely for rotation on the blocks 4 about axes contained in the plane of rotation of the blocks 4. When the cusps 7' and 7" come into contact with rollers 8, the camming effect causes the spindles 5 to be urged into a horizontal position.

The disc 3 rotates intermittently by steps each comprising /6 of a turn, in the direction of the arrow 7, FIG. 2, under the action of a double armed lever 9 pivotally mounted at 9, one arm of which carries a roller 10 cooperating with a cam 11 fixed on a control shaft 12 which is synchronised with the winding machine, while the other arm carries a pin 13 in contact with a ratchet wheel 14 which is fixed to the disc 3 and is formed with six teeth. A return spring 9" serves to maintain the roller 10 in continuous contact with the cam 11.

At the initial station A of the disc 3, in which the spindle 5 receives a coil 15 after it has been released from the winding mandrel, there is provided a spraying device 16 for solvent fed from the container 17 and from the air pipe 18. Each coil is sprayed after it drops down on spindle 5. If the wire of the coil has insulation comprising for example cellulose acetate, this dissolves under the spray of solvent in such a way that the individual turns become firmly interconnected.

The disc 3 is then rotated one step in the direction of the arrow 1. The coil 15 passes to station B, while the spindle 5 that supports it is lowered into the horizontal position by the pressure of the roller 8 on the cusp 7 of the cam 7. Thus the coil 15 immerses its ends in the bath 19 of tin alloy contained in the reservoir 20 which is heated above its melting temperature by an electrical resistance 21 controlled by the thermostatic probe 22. The tin bath is maintained at a temperature sufiiciently high as to melt said insulation which there fore is detached from the Wire and comes to the surface of the tin. The wire is thus bared and is ready to receive the coat of tin. The surface of the bath 19 is continuously wiped by the oscillating slag removing blade 23 and is thus kept clean from oxides and residues of the wire insulation, as will be described further hereinafter. Each time the disc 3 is rotated, another coil will drop from the winding machine onto another spindle in the same manner as described above.

At station E, diametrically opposite station B the coil 15, still carried by the spindle 5 which in the meantime has regained its vertical position, presents its ends 24 to the bending tool 25 which is moved upwardly by the rod 26 of a piston movable in a cylinder 27 fed at 28 with fluid under pressure. The fixed counter tools 29 and 29 oppose the action of the tool 25, thus enabling the two ends 24 to be bent upwardly through 90. One end could be bent upwards and the other downwards, or other forms of bend could be effected, utilizing the two preceding stations C and D in a similar manner. For example, station C could be likewise provided with a bending tool 25 and with only one fixed counter tool which is similar to, and located in the same manner as counter tool 29 at station B. As a result only the upper end of the coil would be bent by an upward action of the bending tool. Similarly, station D could be provided with one fixed counter tool positioned so as to bend only the lower end of the coil.

During passage past the various stations B, C, D, E, and due in particular to radiation on the coil from the heat developed in the bath 19 while the ends of the coil are dipped therein, the solvent applied at station A evaporates so that, without the necessity for additional measures, the coil reaches station F where it is removed from spindle 5. For this purpose, there is provided a separating tool 30 in the form of an L-shaped arm which executes radial movements outwardly and pushes against at least one of the ends of the finished coil to move it radially outwardly off spindle 5. The tool is shown in its normal position by 30, FIG. 2, and in its outward position by the dotted lines. These radial outward movements can be set to occur at appropriate times and may be assisted, if required, by one or more jets of compressed air.

The intermittent operation of the spraying device 16, the piston of cylinder 27 and of the separating tool 30 is controlled by air valves (not shown) of a supply circuit under the control of suitable cams (also not shown) on the pillar 12.

The operation of blade 23 which wipes the surface of the tin alloy bath 19 at station B may be better explained by referring to FIG. 3 of the drawings. Blade 23 is also controlled by the same air valves as discussed above. Movement is transmitted to blade 23 by a resilient connection 34 and lever 36, connection 34 terminating in a slotted link 35. Lever 36 is continuously biased by the spring 37, and is pivotally mounted at 40 on an arm 41. Arm 41 is braked by the assembly comprising the ball 42, cam 43 and spring 44, and oscillates between the limits permitted by the steps 45 and 46. The oscillation of arm 41 and the consequent raising and lowering of pin 40 are brought about by the contact of the pin 36 located on lever 36 with the flat inclined surfaces 38 and 39 located at the extreme ends of its stroke. Blade 23 is fixed to rod 31 which is attached perpendicularlyto lever 36, and in its movement to the right as viewed in FIG. 3, it describes a trajectory 32 below the free surface of the bath 19, while in its movement to the left it partly emerges, following a trajectory 33. This latter movement to the left moves the slag, oxide, and other foreign matter which may be floating on the surface of bath 19 to the left of the bath and out chute 47. The arrangement is such that blade 23 completes a full oscillation before each coil arrives at the bath.

A modification of this bathing device is shown in FIG. 4. The reservoir consists of a cylindrical receptacle 48 mounted for rotation about its vertical axis under the control of a chain 49 which is engaged with a sprocket 50 fixed on the said axis. The heating resistance 51 is connected to a system of collector rings 52 to which current is fed via the brushes 53. The bush 54 permits the height of the reservoir to be adjusted. The fixed 4 probe 55 immersed in the bath controls the temperature thereof while the blade 56, also fixed, sweeps the oxides and slag resulting from the immersion of the coil 15 at a diametrically opposite position.

The above description of the bathing device and the modification thereof have been made assuming the ends of the coil are disposed as shown in FIG. 4, that is, in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the bath. If, however, the ends of the coil are disposed in a direction parallel to the surface of the bath as shown in FIG. 3, they must be immersed in the bath in two successive stages. To effect this, there is imparted to the spindle 5 which supports the coil 15, at station B, a rotational movement brought about at the said station by a toothed member 57 which is moved alternatively by a cam (not shown) on the shaft 12, andwhich engages pinions 58. Pinions 58 are fixedly attached to spindles 5 which are mounted for rotation in the blocks 4.

It is evident that the apparatus as described may also be used for other operations without exceeding the scope of the invention. For example, the mutual separation of the turns of insulated wire by thermosetting enamel may be effected by means of direct heating or by the action of an external source of heat, e.g. by connecting the tinned ends to a source of electric current of low voltage. Also, the number of stations may be varied as desired, depending on the particular operations to be performed.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for effecting automatic finishing operations on self-supporting coils delivered to it by an automatic winding machine, the apparatus comprising a turntable with a vertical axis, a series of blocks provided at regular intervals on the periphery of said turntable, a series of spindles mounted one on each of said blocks for receiving and supporting the coils delivered by the winding machine, said turntable rotating intermittently by steps of angular extent corresponding to the angular interval between the said blocks, so as to transfer the coil at each step to another stage of operations, each of said blocks being mounted on the said turntable about a horizontal axis so as to be capable of turning in a radial plane between a position corresponding to a vertical position of the axis of the spindle and a position corresponding to a horizontal position of said axis of the spindle.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a series of stations, one for each of said stage of operations, means in a station for firmly interconnecting the turns of the coil, means, in another station, for baring and tinning the coil ends, means in at least another station for imparting to the coil ends the required shape and orientation for assembly of the coil, and means in a final station for separating the finished coils from the said spindles.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the said spindles are freely mounted for rotation on the respective blocks, each of said spindles being solid with a gear wheel which cooperates, at the station for tinning the coil ends, with a toothed member to which reciprocal movement can be imparted, said reciprocal movement causing a rotation of the spindles together'with the coil, into positions suitable for the tinning of coil ends which are divergent.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 in which the blocks are normally held by resilient means in positions in which the spindles are vertical and are arranged to be moved into positions in which the said spindles are horizontal at least at the stations for tinning the ends of the coils and for separating the coils from the spindles, by the action of contact rollers carried by the blocks and a central fixed cam.

5. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which there is provided at the station for tinning the ends a reservoir containing a bath for tinning medium which is maintained at the required temperature by an electrical resistance associated with the base of the reservoir, the surface of the bath being arranged to be continuously freed from slag by a blade to which movement relative to the bath is imparted.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 in which the reservoir is fixed and the blade is given a reciprocal movement along the major dimension of the reservoir.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5 in which the blade is fixed and is disposed radially with respect to a rotatable reservoir.

8. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which at the station for bending the ends of the coils there are pro vided one or more bending tools which are actuated pneumatically and cooperate with one or more fixed counter tools.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD H. EANES, Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING AUTOMATIC FINISHING OPERATIONS ON SELF-SUPPORTING COILS DELIVERED TO IT BY AN AUTOMATIC WINDING MACHINE, THE APPARATUS COMPRISING A TURNTABLE WITH A VERTICAL AXIS, A SERIES OF BLOCKS PROVIDED AT REGULAR INTERVALS ON THE PERIPHERY OF SAID TURNTABLE, A SERIES OF SPINDLES MOUNTED ONE ON EACH OF SAID BLOCKS FOR RECEIVING AND SUPPORTING THE COILS DELIVERED BY THE WINDING MACHINE, SAID TURNTABLE ROTATING INTERMITTENTLY BY STEPS OF ANGULAR EXTENT CORRESPONDING TO THE ANGULAR INTERVAL BETWEEN THE SAID BLOCKS, SO AS TO TRANSFER THE COIL AT EACH STEP TO ANOTHER STAGE OF OPERATIONS, EACH OF SAID BLOCKS BEING MOUNTED ON SAID TURNTABLE ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS SO AS TO BE CAPABLE OF TURNING IN A RADIAL PLANE BETWEEN A POSITION CORRESPONDING TO A VERTRICAL POSITION OF THE AXIS OF THE SPINDLE AND A POSITION CORRESPONDING TO A HORIZONTAL POSITION OF SAID AXIS OF THE SPINDLE. 